ORAL REPORT OF THE LICENSING MANAGER
To consider an oral update from the Licensing Manager on various Licensing matters.
Decision:
RESOLVED:
(1) That the oral update report of the Licensing Manager be noted;
(2) That, in response to the Government consultation on FOBTs in betting offices, the response include the view of the Committee that £20 per play should be the maximum stake, and that consideration should be given to the machines being fitted with a device to ensure a fixed time limit between each play; and
(3) That the concept of a Licensing Annual Report be supported.
REASON FOR DECISION: To keep the Committee updated on various Licensing matters.
Minutes:
The Licensing Manager gave an oral update on various Licensing matters.
The Licensing Manager advised that, at the last meeting of the Committee held on 6 October 2015, and in connection with the Licensing Act 2003 Licensing Policy, the Hertfordshire County Council’s Safeguarding Board’s lack of engagement had been raised on a county-wide based, including by the Hertfordshire and Bedfordshire Licensing Group. The Council’s Policy did highlight the importance NHDC placed on safeguarding and require applicant’s to assess safeguarding risks where appropriate. All licensed premises had received an Information Handbook and Poster in relation to safeguarding matters, examples of which were circulated at the meeting.
Also at the meeting held on 6 October 2015, and in respect of the Gambling Act 2015 Statement of Principles, the Licensing Manager reminded the Committee that Members had raised concerns regarding the high stakes available with Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs) in betting shops (£200 per play). Through the Institute of Licensing, NHDC took part in a consultation exercise regarding a number of gambling issues, including maximum stakes, and the Government had recently launched a new consultation on proposals arising from the original consultation including: Revised FOBT maximum stakes of either £50, £30, £20 or £2. He asked for the Committee’s views as to an appropriate response to the consultation.
The Licensing Manager stated that, at the meeting of the Committee held on 12 December 2013, Members had considered and supported a Fee setting Policy based on the Medium Term Financial Strategy inflationary increases each year, other than three-yearly intervals, when full costings would be undertaken to ensure that all reasonable costs were recovered where legislation allowed. Since then, this had been happening each year.
The Licensing Manager reminded the Committee that new Members needed to be trained before they were able to serve on Licensing Sub-Committees, and felt that it would be appropriate for all Members to undertake periodic re-training due to the many legislative changes in recent years. He commented that 9 Sub-Committee hearings had been held in 2017, although only 6 of the 14 Members had served on these, making it difficult to arrange hearings. Evening hearings were becoming more prevalent. He therefore encouraged Members (especially untrained ones) to contact him as soon as possible to arrange training sessions. The Chairman endorsed the need for training.
As the “full” Licensing and Appeals Committee met infrequently, the Licensing Manager advised that he proposed to introduce an Annual Report at the end of each Civic Year to outline the work of the small Licensing Team.
To give new Members a flavour of the work of the Team, the Licensing Manager reported that there was currently 2,911 active licences, 250 scheduled annual inspections took place each year, and approximately 200 applications were processed each year, in addition to the day to day work of service requests, customer advice and investigating complaints.
The Licensing Manager explained that a further meeting of the “full” Committee would be arranged for late February/early March 2018, in order to consider new revised Scrap Metal, Taxi and Animal Establishments Licensing Policies. It was likely that significant changes would be proposed to these policies, which would require adoption by the Cabinet, and where the trade and public may not be unanimous in their expectations.
Following a discussion on the issues of the FOBT maximum stakes and the concept of an Annual Report on Licensing, it was
RESOLVED:
(1) That the oral update report of the Licensing Manager be noted;
(2) That, in response to the Government consultation on FOBTs in betting offices, the response include the view of the Committee that £20 per play should be the maximum stake, and that consideration should be given to the machines being fitted with a device to ensure a fixed time limit between each play; and
(3) That the concept of a Licensing Annual Report be supported.
REASON FOR DECISION: To keep the Committee updated on various Licensing matters.